It's... quiet. The morning is quiet and dull and even the animals lingering on the fringes of town seem a bit at a loss for what to do. The town as a whole seems to be waiting and it isn't until the Sheriff leaves the station carrying a wooden gibbet easily in his arms that things seem to perk up. He drops it into the dirt, shoves it in with a grunt and then heads back into the station.
A few moments later Higekiri follows him out, leashed to him by a rope binding his hands and a blindfold around his eyes. In the Sheriff's other hand is a bucket. He brings them to the stick and drops the bucket upside down on the ground, helping him to stand up on it and pulling the noose around his neck a moment after. He uses the excess of rope around his hands to bind him to the stick.
He turns back to the town after, glancing at the few stray animals that have set up on the porches to watch. A crow nearby caws out from on top of the Saloon sign. The Sheriff looks to the hotel and a moment later, the bells on top of the church begin to ring. He calls out, louder than naturally possible,
"Execution time, folks! Sara Valestein has been chosen as executioner. Come on down and watch."
And then, as indifferent as ever, he pops a piece of tobacco.
[ Elizabeth isn't the only one. Xion cuts off a shriek, staring with very wide eyes and both hands pressed over her mouth.
There's no compulsion in her to go after the Sheriff. She just stares at the body in the chair with a look of abject horror before finally forcing herself to turn away, ducking her head so she can tug hard on her hair and trying hard to swallow the faint, high-pitched whine that is the clear indicator she wants to burst into tears again, but won't. ]
[She turns away, looks straight ahead instead of towards Xion. She doesn't want her to see the way she can't stop from looking absolutely horrified herself. Nothing here is right, but that was unexpected on top of it.
She doesn't know exactly where she's taking her, but anywhere is better than here. Once she recognizes that Xion isn't going to pull away, she lets go of her arm, and she starts to walk towards the hotel. She can sit her down, get her some water from the kitchen. She isn't sure what else to do.]
[It's said thoughtlessly and softly, to quiet and quell the girl near her. Natalie can tell that she isn't okay. She doubts that any of them are, really, except anyone who happens to lack basic empathy... And Xion isn't among that list, clearly.
She doesn't answer the question for a long moment. She wants to say yes, but she has no faith that it would be convincing, and she can't just come out and say she isn't okay. That isn't how she works.]
We can talk about it later. [As she ushers her into the hotel:] When's the last time you ate?
[Of course, the last sight both of them saw is something that she's certain must have ruined any appetite the younger girl had, but...]
I should be, [ she insists, but so quiet it's nearly a whisper. Death, all this death, why does it bother her so much...
Natalie's answer gets Xion to glance up at her, and some sympathy filters into her expression, briefly, before she has to look away. She can understand. Probably neither of them wants to talk about how they really feel in public. Now she's just ... staring at the ground in thought, frowning a little as she considers the question.
Her unfortunately extended silence should quickly make it clear that she doesn't actually know. She's forgotten two weeks running to bring food to the trial, the week before out of sheer unpreparedness for what was coming and this week because she had so much on her mind. Then, last night, she never returned to the hotel. She's been running on little food and littler sleep for days. ]
... sometime on Friday? [ she finally tries, and she's not even really sure. ]
No, you shouldn't. [She says, and it's firm.] You shouldn't be okay with what's happening.
[She can feel Xion looking at her, but she doesn't turn to look back at her as she does. She's afraid there's some hidden vulnerability inside of her that will become immediately noticeable if she does.
She does, however, glance down at her in surprise when she continues speaking.]
Not since Friday? That's... Okay, I'm making you lunch. Come on, to the kitchen.
[ She doesn't reply, though her mouth twists down in a frown. Is being okay with it the same as being strong?
It's with a flash of guilt that Xion looks at her again, shaking her head. ] You don't have to do that! I can make my own. I just ... forgot, [ she explains lamely, knowing how awful it sounds. ]
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robowest2017-01-29 01:57 pm
no subject
There's no compulsion in her to go after the Sheriff. She just stares at the body in the chair with a look of abject horror before finally forcing herself to turn away, ducking her head so she can tug hard on her hair and trying hard to swallow the faint, high-pitched whine that is the clear indicator she wants to burst into tears again, but won't. ]
no subject
Come on. Don't look.
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Breathing hard through her nose, she'll nod a few times and simply, wordlessly, follow. ]
no subject
She doesn't know exactly where she's taking her, but anywhere is better than here. Once she recognizes that Xion isn't going to pull away, she lets go of her arm, and she starts to walk towards the hotel. She can sit her down, get her some water from the kitchen. She isn't sure what else to do.]
no subject
[ Who is she convincing?
She glances up at Natalie, feeling her awareness of the scene they're leaving behind prickle at her skin. ]
... are you?
no subject
[It's said thoughtlessly and softly, to quiet and quell the girl near her. Natalie can tell that she isn't okay. She doubts that any of them are, really, except anyone who happens to lack basic empathy... And Xion isn't among that list, clearly.
She doesn't answer the question for a long moment. She wants to say yes, but she has no faith that it would be convincing, and she can't just come out and say she isn't okay. That isn't how she works.]
We can talk about it later. [As she ushers her into the hotel:] When's the last time you ate?
[Of course, the last sight both of them saw is something that she's certain must have ruined any appetite the younger girl had, but...]
no subject
Natalie's answer gets Xion to glance up at her, and some sympathy filters into her expression, briefly, before she has to look away. She can understand. Probably neither of them wants to talk about how they really feel in public. Now she's just ... staring at the ground in thought, frowning a little as she considers the question.
Her unfortunately extended silence should quickly make it clear that she doesn't actually know. She's forgotten two weeks running to bring food to the trial, the week before out of sheer unpreparedness for what was coming and this week because she had so much on her mind. Then, last night, she never returned to the hotel. She's been running on little food and littler sleep for days. ]
... sometime on Friday? [ she finally tries, and she's not even really sure. ]
no subject
[She can feel Xion looking at her, but she doesn't turn to look back at her as she does. She's afraid there's some hidden vulnerability inside of her that will become immediately noticeable if she does.
She does, however, glance down at her in surprise when she continues speaking.]
Not since Friday? That's... Okay, I'm making you lunch. Come on, to the kitchen.
no subject
It's with a flash of guilt that Xion looks at her again, shaking her head. ] You don't have to do that! I can make my own. I just ... forgot, [ she explains lamely, knowing how awful it sounds. ]
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[She doesn't seem like the kind of person who would, at least. Natalie casts a sidelong glance towards Xion, thoughtful.]
Don't forget again, okay?